Robitaille Retiring at the End of the Season

BUFFALO, NY - The Buffalo Sabres announced Thursday that broadcaster Mike Robitaille will retire at the end of the season.

They also announced that former Sabres forward Brad May will join the broadcast team this season for about 25 games, then full-time next season.

"Roby epitomizes hockey in Buffalo and he's treated the fans here to more than three decades of his incredible knowledge and passion for the game," said Sabres President Ted Black in a statement released by the team. "His insight and humor will be missed on our broadcasts next season but he will certainly be around our Sabres family for years to come. It will be special to see Roby pass the torch to Brad, who brings a similar players' perspective to his analysis, and have another great Sabres player behind the microphone."

"It's never an easy decision to walk away from doing something that you love," Robitaille said in the release. "Hockey and the Sabres have been a major part of my life for the better part of 33 years and I felt now was a good time for me to step away. Many things factored into my decision, one being that the health effects from my car accident a few years back have become more of a struggle to work through. More importantly, however, is my desire to have more quality time to spend with my family."

Robitaille, a former Sabre himself, began his Sabres broadcasting career in 1980 as a color commentator and analyst on radio.

May is coming to Buffalo from Rogers Sportsnet in Toronto, where he is a hockey analyst. May will continue to work for Sportsnet this season.

"It's very exciting to see my career come full circle," May said in the statement. "I was drafted by the Sabres 23 years ago and now I'll have the opportunity to come back to Buffalo to start another chapter of my hockey life and my broadcasting career. My goal is to bring my experiences as a player to the broadcasts and help fans get another perspective on the game. I was honored to have been offered this job and I'm happy to be back in Buffalo."